Flash-light holder



Dec. 21, 1926. 1,611,512

' E. G. CLEMENSON FLASH LIGHT HQLDER Filed Nov. 2, 1923 battery-containing body thereof closed. at 7 and a p a r fiector R and lens or plain cover glass are Patented Dec. 21, 1926 barren STATES 1,611,512 PATENT orrlcs.

EDWARD G. CLEMENSON, 0F FELT-1AM, NEW" YORK, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL CARBON COMPANY, INC., A CORPORATION 01E NEW YORK.

FLASH-ILIGHT HOLDER.

Application filed. November 2, 1923. Serial No. 672,426.

This invention relates to an improved flashlight holder. When used about automobiles, for example, portable lighting devices such as flashlights are sometimes misment of its battery and lamp, and where its absence or condition are so noticeable that there will be a greater tendency to keep it at hand in the improved holder and in good working order, thereby considerably enlarging the usefulness of the flashlight.

The above and other objects and the novel features of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings in which;

Fig. 1 is a view of a portion of an instrument board illustrating the application of the improved flashlight holder thereto;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the flashlight holder on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, showing a flashlight in place therein;

Fig. 3 is a front view of a mounted flashlight holder containing a flashllght; and

Fig. 4: is a transverse section of the holder taken on the line l-/l of Fig. 2, looking 1n the direction indicated by the arrows.

Generally speaking, the improved flashlight holder comprises a case or receptacle provided with means to releasably retain a standard or any preferred type of flashlight therein, and to push suclrflashlight at least part way out of the case upon release of such retaining means The case also has means whereby it may be secured to a suitable support and an opening exposlng the usual switch of the flashlight so that the latter can also be lighted while it is within the case, 1 1

As shown, the case C of the improved holder is designed to contain a. standard tubular flashlight F that has the usual tubular the bottom by a cap held in place at its opposite end by a thread: ed lens ring E, which may have the well known octagonal edge. The case C that constitutes a receptacle for the flashlight comprises a cylindrical body or shell of metal, fiber or other suitable materialwhich is desirably closed at its bottom end and permanently open at its front end through which a flashlight may be readily inserted and withdrawn.

The case 0 is desirably provided with means whereby it may be secured to a rigid supportand accordingly has an exterior flange G secured to its front end by a sleeve G that is united to the case at G. While the improved holder may, of course, be

mounted upon any suitable support and Where desired, it is here illustrated as mounted upon and combined with an instrument board 13 of an automobile, motorboat, airplane or the like. The case may be secured into an opening 0 in the board 13, the flange G being secured to the front face of the board by screws D, riveting or other suitable means, so that the open front end of the case lies substantially in the plane of if the board. 7 The major portion of the case extends downwardly behind the inclined board B where it is out of the way. A flashlight holder thus placed provides a valuable adjunct to an instrument board on an automobile or the like since it renders a flashlight therein readily accessible and, on the other hand, when empty, it serves as an infdicator of a lost ormisplaced flashlight.

There is then naturally more of a tendency to keep the flashlight in its holder when not in use, and the battery, lamp and other parts of the flashlight are more apt to be kept in good working order, all of which increases the usefulness of the flashlight.

When the flashlight is in place in its.hold er, the front end or cover glass thereof is desirablydisposed in the plane of the instrument board. It is therefore necessary to provide means whereby the flashlight may be pushed at least part way out of the case, so that it may be completely removed ltltl for use. When the flashlight is insidethe Qspring P that issecured in the bottom of ltlfi the case C, as. iby an inwardly punched tongue P." that hooks over pa. bottom coil of the spring. Suitable means may be provided to hold the flashlight down inside the case against the expansive force of the spring. For this purpose, a retaining device is provided that is readily releasable and which, as shown, may consist of a latch or wing nut W that is eccentrically pivoted at on the outer face of the flange G, so that its longer end may swing inwardly across the open end of the case G and slide over and engage the outer end of a flashlight in the case. In its retaining position, the latch lV bears against the flashlight and thereby holds the spring P under compression, as indicated in full lines in Fig. 2. When the flashlight is needed, the latch may be swung outv of the way and the expanding spring P then pushes the front end of the flashlight part way out of the case, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, where the flashlight may be gripped by hand and withdrawn from the case. The spring P also assists in firmly holding the flashlight in its case to prevent rattling thereof. 'ikS indicated, the periphery of the lens ring E is desirably or non-circular outline, being of standard octagonal outline closely interfltting with the corresponding octagonal inner edge H of the flange 6 to prevent the turning 01": the flashlight in its holder and to provide a mounting that generally con forms to the other devices on the instrument board.

It may be desirable to light the flashlightwithout removing it from its case. The underside of the case is thereforeslotted. lengthwise as at T, a portion of such slot at/T being of suflicient size to expose the usual switch S on the flashlight body, whereby the flashlight may be ligl'ited in the usual manner by reaching under the lower edge of the instrument board and operating the switch. The sleeve G may be pressed out at S to properly guide the flashlight into its case with the. switch S in position opposite the slot T.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the improved. holder provides a simple means for eflectively supporting a flashlight, an important accessory for automobiles and the like, at a point where it is easily kept in working order and accessible. Various v changes may be made in details of the. construction of the holder without departing from. the invention. or sacrificing its advantages.

I claim:

l. A. flashlight holder comprising, in combination, aca'se, constructed. and adapte'dfto receive. an'denclose a flashlight, means whereby said case may be rigidly secured tofa' support, releasable means adapted to retain, a flashlight within said case, and re. ntmeans substantially coaxiallwith said cassadapted to push sueh fle h ghtat least part way out of said case upon release of such retaining means.

2. A flashlight holder comprising a case having a permanently open front end through which a flashlight or the like may be inserted and removed and whereby its presence or absence in said case may be observed at all times, means adjacent the front end of said case for securing the latter to a support, and releasable means upon the front of said holder for retaining a flash light or the like in said case.

3. A flashlight holder comprising in combination, a support having permanently open front end through which a flashlight may be inserted and withdrawn, at flashlight ease secured. therein and closely fitting said support, releasable means on the trout oi? said holder adapted to retain a flashlight in said case with the front face oi the flashlight exposedand substantially in a plane with the front of said support, and means adapted to push such flashlight at least part way out of said case upon release of such retaining means.

41-. A; flashlight holder comprising, in combination, a support, a case secured there to and having an open front end through which a flashlight may be inserted and withdrawn, the rear of said case extending behind said support and having an opening therein through which the usual switch at a flashlight therein may be operated, and releasable means adjacent the front end of said case for retaining a flashlight therein.

5. A flashlight holder comprising a case having an open. front end through which a flashlight may be inserted and removed and. whereby the presence or absence of a flashlight in said case may be readily observed, means wherel y said case may be secured to a support, manually operable latching means on the front of said case for rctainmg a flashlight in said case, and means adapted to pushv such flashlight at least part way out of said case through said open end upon release of such retaining means.

6. A flashlight holder comprising a case having an open front end through which a flashlight may be inserted and removed, means whereby said case may be rigidly secured to a support, releasable means outside the front end of the case for engaging a flashlight to retain it in the case, and a spring in the bottom of the case conngressible by an inserted flashlightand adapted to push the latter part way out of upon release of such retaini 7. A flashlight holder comer i having a non-circular portion adapted to interflt witha' corresponding non-circula portion of aflashlight insert-ablei-nto ant removable from said case, and releasable ineansonthe frontof' said case for re such flashlight in said case.

i on lit;

A flashlight holder comprising a case having an open front end and a flange thereat whereby said case may be secured to a support, the inner edge of said flange having an outline adapted to interiit closely with the outer edge of the front end of a flashlight ins'crtable into and removable from res )ondin )ol 'onal outer ed e of the lens 12: l km a:

ring of a flashlight that adapted to be inserted into and removed from said case, and releasable means mounted on said flange adapted to retain such flashlightin said case.

10. The combination with a support having an opening therethrcugh, of a case secured in said opening; and having an open front end through which a flashlight may be inserted and removed, said open end being substantially in the plane of the front of said support, and releasable means outsice said open end adapted to retain flashlight in said case with the front face of said flashlight substantially in a plane with tl front of said support.

11.. The combination with an instrument board having an opening therethrough, of

a case secured in said opening and having an open front end through which a flashlight may be inserted and removed, the rear of said case extending behind said board and adapted to push the front end of a flashlight out of said case through said open end.

12. The combination with an instrument board having an opening therethrough,of a case in said opening having a flange at its front end whereby it is secured to said board, said case having an open front end through which a flashlight may be inserted and removed, the rear of said case extending behind said board and having an opening therein through which the usual switch of a flashlight therein is accessible for operation, latch means on said flange adapted to engage a flashlight in said case and retain its front face substantially in the plane of the front of said board, and a spring in the bottom of said case compressible by an inserted flashlight and adapted to push the front end of the same out of the case upon the release of said latch means.

13. A flashlight holder comprising, in combinatiom'a case having a permanently open front end through which a flashlight may be inserted and removed, whereby the presence or absence of a flashlight in said case may be observed atall times, and where by the lightemitting end of a flashlight in said case is exposed by and may project light out through said open end; means on said case whereby it may be rigidly secured to a support; means for retaining a flashlight in said case; means adapted to push such flashlight at least part wayiout of said case through said open end upon release of such retaining means; and means whereby the usual switch of a flashlight in said case is accessible for operation. 7

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

EDWARD G. CLEMENSON ii l) 

